The Fall of Themyscira
by AndRyu-TSD
Summary: A Tale from Earth 23 where The Wyvern was originally from. This is a companion piece to The Wyvern Arrives (takes place between Chapters 10 and 11)
1. Chapter 1

The Fall of Themyscira: Prelude - A Story from Earth 23

CJ really didn't want to be taking this trip. Martha and Lyta were both overly exuberant about the visit to Paradise Island, CJ wanted to fly home.

"Just a little longer and we'll be there, your grandmother will be so happy to see you." Diana turned to check on her daughters. Both excitedly smiled back at her. When she looked at her son she thought his unreadable expression was due to his piloting the Lansarian jet to the land of their birth. As his sister's began talking about visiting the gardens Diana turned to her firstborn.

"Don't worry thisavros, the last time you were there our patron goddesses bestowed their favor on you. You've been taken under their care, the sister respect that."

Despite Diana's words of encouragement CJ knew the truth, no amount of favor from the five patron goddesses would assuage their hatred of a man child being born on an island promised to women. He knew their façade would be there when Hippolyta and Diana were present, but, he still remembered the brutal 'training' he was subjected to as a child. He'd received so many dislocated shoulders during sword and spear training that he could relocate them with minimal outward acknowledgment of the pain. When he didn't respond Diana placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Thisavros, you did something no other Amazon could do when you helped me. You defied my orders yes, but, you also defied the gods' expectations."

"Princess Diana, we have you approaching safely, welcome home your highness."

"Thank you sister, has my mother been informed that I've brought my children with me?"

"Yes, she is eagerly awaiting your arrival."

"See, I told you so." she smiled.

CJ noted that they hadn't asked if he was present. They always assumed he was helping his father with Gotham. Luckily the Amazon's view on Bruce had softened when Diana gave birth to two strong daughters shortly after CJ's eighth & tenth birthdays. He'd naively hoped that his treatment at their hands would improve, he was mistaken. As their craft settled down they all unbuckled themselves from their seats and made their way to the lowering boarding ramp, Diana and the girls exited first. CJ keyed the security code to ensure the craft cloaked itself until they were ready to leave. As the ramp locked in place and the craft went invisible CJ turned to join his family, but, found himself looking at the back of the group of royal guards that were sent as escort.

"Princess Diana, it is our great honor to escort you & your daughters to the royal palace."

"Where's CJ?" Lyta asked.

As Diana turned her smile fell, she could tell CJ wasn't there because Lyta would be glued to his hand.

"Where is my son?" she could barely keep the venom from her words.

"Forgive me Princess, we were unaware that another was traveling with you." Diana's eyes narrowed dangerously at the treatment of her son.

"Go ahead mitera, I'll wait for dad." CJ spoke up. He saw Diana's face showing barely controlled rage and his sister's faces showing disappointment. He didn't miss the fact that the guards hadn't even looked at him. Without waiting for Diana to answer the guards started on their way to the Royal Palace.

An hour and a half later the Batplane came into view and headed for the transponder beacon of Wonder Woman's jet. Setting down Batman noticed that there was a small group of guards there to greet him. 'Odd, I thought Diana said CJ would be here too.' As he disembarked he was glad to see looks of respect from the guards.

"Greetings Batman, we are honored to escort one who defended our home from the deceiver." As they made their way up the beach Batman thought he saw movement in his peripheral vision, but, when he turned to look, there was nothing.

"Is something wrong Batman?"

"I was told my son would be waiting for me."

"He may have gotten bored and left for the palace, we didn't see any one." Batman noted the lack of interest in their voices concerning his son.

"Princess Diana, the guards are approaching with your paramour."

"Thank you General Philippus." Hippolyta spoke up, the queen doing her best to keep her daughter calm. As the general left Diana spoke up.

"You see, no mention of CJ. If I'd have known they would do this I would have not bothered to come here."

"But weren't they looking forward to this visit?"

"Lyta was hoping CJ would take her to the gardens, then to the library."

"She certainly is fond of her brother isn't she?" Hippolyta's attempt at brevity didn't elicit the response she hoped for.

"Daddy!" Martha joyfully ran & hugged her father as he entered the palace.

"Hello Martha, where's Lyta."

"With mommy, she's sad."

"Why?"

"Where's CJ?" Diana's voice was louder than usual.

"He wasn't there when I landed, the guards thought he may have come here instead." Diana's face fell. Bruce checked the locator beacon that he knew CJ carried.

"Nothing, how is that possible?"

"Bruce," Diana's voice held genuine fear as Lyta started to cry. "Where is CJ?" Diana turned angrily to the guards.

"WHERE IS MY SON?!"


	2. Chapter 2

The Fall of Themyscira - Part I: Tales from Earth 23

It was too quiet. Bruce expected there to be more noise as he settled behind the controls of the Batplane. He thought of contacting Diana when a small voice came from behind him.

"Mommy's gonna find CJ, right daddy?" He smiled at his youngest daughter, almost six years old and she worshipped the ground her older brother walked on.

"Yes Lyta, CJ will be fine. I promise." His eldest daughter was silent as they lifted off.

"Martha, everything okay?"

"Where could he have gone, he said he'd wait for you after the guards blew him off." Bruce set the auto pilot & turned to face his daughters.

"What do you mean blew him off?" Martha looked at Lyta and shrugged, deciding to tell the tale.

"Well, when we landed they were really nice to mommy, Lyta, and me. Then CJ came down onto the sand, but, they acted like he wasn't even there. When they started to go to the palace Lyta asked if CJ was coming or not."

"What happened then?" Bruce placed a hand on Lyta's shoulder as her lower lip started to quiver again.

"Mommy got pretty mad, but, CJ said he'd just wait for you. He looked pretty mad himself." He didn't like it, ninety minutes was more than enough time to subdue CJ and be on the way to God only knew where.

Diana's mood had not improved in the past hour.

"Did you even bother looking, or, was it too much trouble to make sure MY SON WAS SAFE?!" She'd somehow managed to convince Bruce to take Martha and Lyta home, while she searched for their son.

"Diana, calm yourself!" Hippolyta admonished her daughter, though she also felt the same apprehension in her heart. It had been three hours since Batman had been escorted into the palace. When Diana had asked if the guard had ignored CJ again she was shocked when her husband told her that their son hadn't been waiting for him, the beach had been deserted. The last time she'd seen her family together was yesterday, she vowed that when the sun rose tomorrow they would all be safe. She remembered Lyta crying for CJ as Bruce took them back to the Wayne Manor. It had taken both Diana & Hippolyta to convince him not to return, that he may need to protect the girls.

"Your highness, Princess Diana." General Philippus approached. "We have had no luck in finding the man-child."

"HIS NAME IS CHRISTIAN!"

"Diana, please!" Hippolyta tried desperately to calm her daughter.

"One last patrol has yet to return, I have sent another two patrols as the area they were searching is near to the ruins. They should return soon." As the general left Diana was trembling with barely controlled rage.

"I should be out there looking for him mother. At least I give a damn about finding my son."

"I share your feelings my little sun and stars."

"But, you're the only other one. I'm so scared mother. Bruce helped me in beating Aries and his cursed progeny. I can't prove it, but, I know CJ was there too."

"I thought his role in defeating Drakul Karfang would have garnered him the respect of the sisters. I know not why they bear so much hatred for him." Diana shot her mother a scathing glare.

"Diana, I have done my best to make Christian feel welcome."

"Hera herself blessed his birth saying he would be a boon to Themyscira, but, your sisters only see him as a male." At Diana's words Hippolyta's calm shattered. She grabbed Diana, tears of pain and anger welling in her eyes as she railed at her daughter.

"How DARE you accuse me of not caring about my grandson! I love Christian just as much as I love Martha or Lyta, I would never wish ill on him!" Her voice cracked as the tears she was holding back burst forth.

"If anything happens to CJ I'll never forgive myself." Diana's eyes widened in surprise, Hippolyta never used his nickname.

"Mother!" Diana sobbed as she fell into her mother's arms, nothing made sense right now. After she'd managed to calm down Diana planned on joining the search when the sounds of battle outside the palace gave her pause.

"My Queen, fall back to the throne room!" Philippus shouted. From the sounds of the fighting it sounded as if the Titans themselves were approaching.

The scout was lost, this was all they needed. Bad enough they were running around the ruins looking for that pathetic man-child, but, the Queen hadn't even reprimanded Princess Diana for raging against them.

"Her time in patriarch's world has made her weak." she cursed.

"Captain!" the young warrior was out of breath.

"Calm yourself child, has Hades himself come to frighten you?"

"Our scout was found, she was attacked." All flippant remarks flew from her mind as she followed the young warrior to where the rest of her patrol had gathered. They found their scout shackled to a pillar in the ruins, she'd been disarmed and rendered unconscious.

"Get her down, quickly." As the other two scouts ran towards their fallen comrade a figure sprang from an adjacent pillar knocking the left most scout out with a vicious kick. As her sister turned she was met by a backfist that bounced her skull off the support beam of a fallen temple ceiling.

"Who in Tartarus are you?" The lone figure stood wearing armor, silver in color, consisting of plate over chain mail. Captain Agrypnos drew her sword. The armor looked like

"A Myrmidon? They all perished."

"I am no weak Myrmidon." the intruder spoke in Greek using a tone so low they felt the timber of his voice in their stomachs even as his words reached their ears.

"Who are you?!" she only had four other warriors in her patrol, but, she was confident they would kill this male that dared trespass on their island. As her warriors drew their swords and attacked the armored stranger suddenly had two falcatas in hand and attacked. The first two warriors were felled as he struck them in the face with the hand guards of his swords. His next slashes caused the remaining two warriors to drop their swords as their hands went numb. As he moved past them he punched out, striking them in the base of their skulls hard enough to render them unconscious before they hit the ground.

"If you must give me a name," he spat as he descended on the lone captain. "Xiphos Peri Ekdikisi."

"Sword of Vengeance, how arrogant!" Agrypnos spat. She raised her shield and charged. Her opponent dodged to the side, but, as she turned he kicked her shield.

"BY THE GODS!" The only one she knew of with strength like this shouldn't be here without incurring Hera's wrath.

"Hercules." she spat, blood dripping from her nose. Her opponent was closing fast, she raised her shield again.

"You wish." anything else was drowned out by the report of his feet hitting her shield with enough force to throw her nearly through the tree she was close to. She rose shakily to her feet, her head swimming and her spine and legs burning in pain.

"That must have hurt." She pushed off the tree to rush forward and attack, but, her body only made it three tottering steps before she fell to the ground in a heap. 'Time to prepare a trap for the next patrols they'll send.' He picked up the captain, she groaned as he shackled her wrists and ankles.

"Perfect, live bait." he suspended her from another pillar and set about preparing his ambush. He knew they would have no more than three patrols to look for the Princess's lost son, not that they would be searching with any sort of diligence. An hour later two more patrols made their way to the ruins and, finding their sisters unconscious and chained, they rushed to free them. They broke into four smaller groups and approached from four different routes, it didn't help them. Four net traps were triggered and the Amazons were thrown into the air, disoriented by the barbs that were tied into the net. Even as they tried to cut themselves free the potion was causing paralysis to creep ever faster through their systems, soon, they too were subdued.

"You will never get away with this!"

"Shut up and walk." Xiphos tugged the chain the Amazons were tethered to, forcing them to pick up their pace. "The active patrols of your army and the royal guard are all that are left."

"All the sisters will fight you." Agrypnos spat at him.

"I doubt that, they are all sleeping, chained to their beds." She glared at this man who had invaded their island & beaten her sisters.

"What is it you want bastard?" He pulled the chain down hard, causing the prisoners to fall to their knees. He grabbed her by two pressure points at the base of her skull, causing her to cringe in pain.

"What I'm going to have when this is all over." She gasped, they were in view of the palace, but, no lights came from the surrounding buildings. Despite being supper time, there was no signs of life from any building other than the Royal palace.

"Oh yes, I already told you what I did, spent most of the day doing it in fact. Shame I missed that black plane that took off earlier." He heard a curse from the captain.

"My such language." He squeezed his hand causing her to cry out in agony.

"Back to your first question: What do I want? Why it's very simple." He gestured to the Palace, in the light of the setting sun he could see the remaining army gathering while the Royal Guard retreated into the palace proper.

"I want paradise." He drew a spike from the back of his belt & slammed it into the stones at his feet, pinning the chain there.

"Paradise I'll have, and no army of two legions or Royal Guards will stop me." Swords in hand Xiphos dove into the fight against the Amazon Army.

As the Batplane set down in the cave Bruce gathered up the slumbering Lyta as Martha climbed out first.

"Martha, I need you to go upstairs with Alfred okay?" she quietly nodded her head as he handed Lyta to Alfred. Once they went up to the manor Bruce checked the computer. 'Nothing in the logs shows he came back.' All this didn't sit well with him, he knew CJ could take care of himself, but, his son did tend to rush into things when his family was threatened.

'How many teenagers would risk a few centuries of grounding to help their mother fight a damned dragon?' He chuckled at the memory of his son defending his action to his parents & grandmother. If it wasn't for the Amazon's patron goddesses heaping praise on CJ for his loyalty and love for his mother, he may still be standing in the palace being yelled at. As he leaned back in his chair messages were going out to Robin and Nightwing to keep an eye out for CJ. Logically he knew there was little he could do to help his son at the moment, but, as a father he hoped that CJ was safe.


	3. Chapter 3

The Fall of Themyscira - Part 2 : Tales from Earth 23

'How could this be happening?' The young warrior thought. Thought their army was fierce, most of her sisters were unconscious or injured while the intruder suffered only a few tears in his cloak.

"How do you know our tactics?" Xiphos offered no answer, and as she ducked his high slash, his left hand flew to his throat, unclasping his cloak. As the warrior sprang to her feet her vision was impeded by the flapping cloak and her opponent, wasting no time, clubbed her in the ear with a hammer blow.

"How fare our warriors?" Hippolyta asked as she finished donning her armor. "The sound of battle has dimmed, they have subdued their opponent."

"General Philippus!"

"What is it sister?"

"The intruder, he's making his way into the palace!" Uttering a curse under her breath Philippus signaled for the reserves of the Royal Guard to move into the palace to cut off the intruder while they prepared bows with drugged arrows.

"How could our army have been bested by only one warrior?" Diana asked her mother.

"Perhaps this is the deceiver's work. I have prayed to Hera and Athena for strength, they will help us daughter." Diana and Hippolyta took up bows and waited to see if the intruder made it into the throne room.

As the reserve forces spread out in the entryway of the Royal Palace their opponent seemed almost bored by the proceedings. He stood, captured spear in hand, and waited for them to attack.

"For Themyscira!" they cried as they charged. Their opponent sneered as he struck the fastest approaching guard with the butt cap of the spear, shattering the shaft. He grabbed his opponents spear and blocked the thrust of his next opponent as his off hand shot out, striking her in the collar bone with an audible crack.

"Hold and regroup!" Phillipus ordered. Despite their undisciplined charge they still had over two score guards with which to fight.

"You cannot win against us trespasser. Surrender and your death will be quick and as painless as can be." Another sneer crossed his face as he leaned down and picked up the broken spear. He tested the balance, then hurled it at the general. She ducked, but, not quickly enough as the spear took her helmet and knocked her off her feet. Scooping up a shield Xiphos charged forward and slammed three Amazons into one of the pillars in the hall. As it dislodged he rammed the stolen shield at the base, directing it to fall amongst the gathered guards. He was lucky the foolish move had been unexpected, or, they could have closed on him. As is was, he took out nearly half their number with falling rubble.

"Merciful Minerva, what was that?" Hippolyta was shocked at the thunderous crash in the entryway. As the dust cloud billowed into the throne room the sound of spears, swords, and shields crashing together caused her to tense.

"Worry not mother, we will prevail over this dark force that threatens our home." Diana's voice held a savage edge to is that gave her mother strength & hope. Privately Diana promised her patronesses that if this intruder knew what had happened to her son, he'd pay with his very life.

Phillipus cringed as the spear was brutally tugged from the foot of her fellow guard. The sound of the tendons in her knee being ripped asunder was nauseating.

"How do you know our tactics? Who in Hades are you?!" Two guards leapt at their opponents back,

"Wait!" Even as she shouted Xiphos spun around and fired out two rapid spear thrusts. The two guards fell to the ground, blood streaming from two deep punctures in their sides.

"This is the supposed strength of the Amazons?" He chided, "This is ridiculous and pathetic. Had men been born here they might have made you stronger."

"No man has ever been born on the sacred grounds of Themyscira!"

"Oh, then what of the poor boy I captured in your forest? Is he not your princess's first born?" The look on the General's face turned his sneer into a malicious grin as he laughed.

"Congratulations General" he practically spat the title out as an insult. "your foolish pride laid the very groundwork for my great victory this day." Philippus turned for the throne room as the remaining half dozen guards converged on Xiphos to cover her withdrawal. He snapped the spear in half and moved towards the throne room.

"Princess Diana, this intruder has confessed to kidnapping him." Diana's eyes widened for a moment, only to become cold as she growled "He's the one who took CJ?"

"Forgive me my Queen, it was my actions that caused your grandchild to be taken. The intruder claimed to have rendered our sisters not in the army unconscious. I believe Princess Diana's son may have tried to stop him, & been captured." Diana felt anger well up inside her at this intruder, her son had defended an island that hated him & only now did Philippus show regret at their treatment of him.

"So now you show the 'man-child' a modicum of concern."

"Diana, now is not the time!" Before any further words could be said the sounds of footfalls echoed through the hall.

The first guard dropped her sword as her hands flew to her throat. She was gagging from the spear shaft strike. As she slumped down Xiphos brought his knee up to meet her face while blocking the thrust of the next guard in line. He struck the other half of the broken spear against her elbow, causing her to scream in pain as the joint broke. Kicking her in the exposed flank made her tumble into the legs of another guard. The sound of a snapping bone, a howl of agony, and the scent of blood let him know another guard was down with a compound fracture of the leg. The last three guards all attacked at the same time, but, Xiphos dodged to the left. He brutally kicked the closest guard in the chest causing her to fly back into a pillar. As her fellow guards delayed for a second he wove in between them and struck, hitting them in the temples repeatedly. As the guard that hit the pillar struggled to her feet Xiphos clamped a hand around her throat.

"Come, I may have use for you." She struggled to form words as he held her aloft and strode towards the throne room.

As a dark form filled the doorway of the throne room Philippus and Diana fired their bows, Hippolyta had relinquished her bow to the General. The cries of surprise and pain that followed were too soft to have belonged to the intruder. As the last guards was tossed roughly to the ground Xiphos tore the scabbards off his back & flung them at the bow carriers. The falcata scabbards shattered the bows and hit Diana and Philippus in the pit of their stomachs. Hippolyta drew her sword &, with a roar of anger, attacked. Even as he blocked the first strike he brought his right foot up in a kick that caught Philippus full in the face. As her sister and friend fell senseless to the ground Hippolyta redoubled her efforts to stop the intruder. She rained blow after blow down upon him searching for an opening, but, she found none.

'His knowledge of our martial forms is too complete for this to be anyone but the deceiver.' One of her overhand chops met only air as her foe had shifted away, using her own blade as a visual shield. She glanced to her side just in time to see his armored knuckles crash into her cheekbone. The floor rushed up to meet her and she knew only darkness. A scream of rage behind him had Xiphos dodging out of the way as Diana reentered the fight with her own sword slash. His back armor was gone from his ripping if off as he threw the scabbards at the bows and this was Diana's aiming point. Though he was quick, he wasn't quick enough. Her sword bit into his back as the bottom of his right shoulder blade, effortlessly cutting through the chain mail he wore, and didn't stop until it had followed the bone all the way to his shoulder. As his blood splayed on the ground of the throne room he spun with his left sword up, his right arm hung limply at his side, drizzling blood.

"Where. Is. My. Son?" Diana's teeth were clenched in rage as she hissed. Her opponent merely kicked his dropped sword behind him and settled into a fighting stance.

"WHERE IS HE?!" Diana shot forward and thrust her blade at her opponents heart. The blow was deflected to the side and down, but, Diana tried the blow again. This time the attack was deflected down. Her eyes widened as the tip of her sword dipped toward the ground and her opponent struck her blade again, then, used his foot to slam the flat of the sword to the ground. A sound caused her to look away momentarily, his helmet had just hit the ground. As she looked back at her opponent he punched out with his left fist and his left foot came forward behind her knee, causing her to fall down the steps to the throne.

As she came to Diana tried to rub her eyes, but, the clanking of chains made her pause. She glanced around and saw that she, Hippolyta, and Philippus were all chained. Looking at the throne she saw the intruder, his helmet retrieved, sitting on the throne, his blood still seeping from the gash she'd cut into his back.

"You will be held accountable for your actions this day. Whoever your allies are that aided you in this, they will be made to suffer!" Diana screamed at the man seated on her mother's throne.

"Diana, what has happened?" Hippolyta looked at her hands and saw the shackles.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH MY SON?!" Diana's scream echoed across the confines of the palace.

"Please," Hippolyta spoke up, pleading with the intruder. "I beg you, please tell me what you've done. Is my grandson safe? Is he unharmed?" He rose and turned his back to them and Hippolyta saw the bone of his shoulder blade through the slash Diana had carved into his flesh. As he set his helmet on the throne he spoke in a low rumbling voice.

"Alive yes, unharmed, I'm afraid the answer to that is no." Diana rose to her knees ready to swear death upon the interloper, when she saw his face.

"By the gods no." Hippolyta was too stunned to speak as well as he walked down adn unlocked their shackles.

"I beg your forgiveness, but, I had no choice." Tears streamed down Diana's cheeks as her hands flew to his face.

"Why?" She asked in a quaking voice. "Why would you do this thisavros?"


	4. Chapter 4

The Fall of Themyscira - Epilogue : Tales from Earth 23

"Why did you do this Christian? What happened to make you turn on the land of your birth so?"

"Forgive me grandmother." CJ knelt down and helped Hippolyta to her feet.

"But, after sixteen years of them looking upon my mother as a failure, I had had enough" Tears rimmed Diana's eyes as her son spoke.

"You did all this because of me?"

"No mother, I did this because it was the only thing I knew of that would let me do what needed to be done."

"How dare you treat us in such a shameful manner!" General Philippus raged "Have you no respect for the Amazons."

"Only the 'respect'" CJ spat out the last word "I was shown."

"You worthless little" her condemnation was cut short as Diana backhanded her.

"Princess?"

"My son speaks the truth, you and the rest of the Amazons have only regarded my son with naked aggression." Her words shocked the General.

"I have seen how you look at him when you think I don't see." Diana helped her son to the steps to sit.

"Despite his being born on these lands, despite his being my flesh and blood, he was never anything to the rest of you." Diana tore her own robe and placed the strip of fabric gently over the injury she'd given her son.

"A male child being born on Themyscira is a curse!"

"No child, it is not." Hippolyta fell to a knee along with Diana and Philippus.

"Hera, we welcome you."

"Rise Diana, and bring your son before me." With a grimace CJ accepted his mother's help in standing.

"You brave foolish child." CJ's chuckle at Hera's words gave her pause.

"Forgive me, but, I've been called worse." To their surprise, Hera laughed at his comment.

"You have done well in your endeavor young Christian. Never before has one earned the honor of victory by subduing the entire Amazon nation." She leaned forward and touched his forehead.

"Though you do not carry the title of your mother & grandmother, you have proven yourself to be worthy of their blood."

"Forgive me Hera," CJ interrupted "but, why have the remaining shackles not vanished? Once I unlocked mom & grams, the rest should have."

"Walk with me Eklektos." As he moved ahead he heard the intake of breath.

"Allow me to heal."

"Please, don't!" CJ spun, holding up his good arm to shield any effort on Hera's part.

"Your mother already feels great pain at inflicting such an injury upon her treasured son."

"Please, my reasons will be made clear in time."

The Amazons sitting chained outside were shocked to see Hera walking out of the Royal Palace beside Diana's whelp.

"Hear me daughters of Themyscira, for you have not heeded my previous words!" Those gathered were shocked at the announcement.

"You were bested by one you despised, despite my favor upon him."

"He's a male, what need have we of him?"

"So you would have fought the dragon Karfang beside the champion? Diana's son risked his own life to help his mother, he's risked it before to defend this island." She swept her gaze over everyone of them.

"Upon his return I and the rest of your patron goddesses bestowed our blessings upon him for his bravery, loyalty, and honor to his mother and the land of his birth. We asked that you do the same and our wishes were ignored. I said long ago that he would be a favored child of Themyscira, but, not one of you listened. For too long have I seen the sufferings inflicted upon him. Look now!" She gently turned his back to them and peeled off the makeshift bandage Diana had hastily applied.

"See what your unwarranted distain for him has done?" Diana cringed at the crease she'd carved into her own child.

"She inflicted this hurt on her own son as he attempted the most dangerous of redeeming labors." Diana's hand flew to her mouth in horror.

"He did not need to perform this task, but, your treatment of him caused this. He's proven himself with better valor than any save his family gave him credit for. My words now are NOT to be ignored." She turned and gave CJ the shackles that had been placed on Diana's wrists. With a silent acknowledgment CJ lifted them up to shoulder height and crushed them in his off hand. As their bindings disappeared all the Amazons were present to hear Hera's decree.

"From this day forward this child will be known to you as Lord Eklektos of Themyscira. Son of the Princess Diana, Grandson of your Queen Hippolyta." To their surprise all their patron goddesses were now present, raising salutes to Diana's son while they all stood in shocked silence.

"Will you at least let us use the purple healing ray Christian?"

"I just wish to return home grams, this'll heal on it's own." Athena sighed

"This is a sight. Diana has great wisdom, her son, great stubbornness." CJ turned to Athena in feigned shock

"Hey, you were sixteen once too." he protested. "A long, long time ago granted." Athena shook her head as a smile spread across her face.

"I sincerely hope this is the last time you make such a foolish choice Wyvern,"

"Wait, how did you know about that?"

"I spoke to the one that forged your armor."

"Great, another guilty feeling." he turned to his mother "can I go home now?" The words struck deeply for Hippolyta. Though Themyscira was the land of their birth, her daughter and grandson both counted patriarch's world as their home. She hoped that now, finally, their views may change.

"You still must claim your spoils Eklektos."

"I ask that I be allowed to make that announcement in one weeks time."

"YOU DID WHAT?!" Bruce couldn't tell if his son's wincing was from his yelling, or, the needle and absorbable sutures Alfred was using to close the deepest portion of the gash on CJ's back.

"I did what I had to dad." Diana was having to physically restrain her husband.

"How in the hell did this seem like something you had to do?!" CJ took a deep breath, held it, then let it free in a loud sigh.

"I don't expect you to be happy about it, but, I was not going to tolerate their treatment."

"You did all this because you were sick of how they treated you? I expect you to act more mature about this!"

"Young Master Christian!" Alfred had reached for the stapler to close the outer portion of CJ injury when he jumped off the medical table.

"That wasn't it MR. Know-It-All!" CJ shouted

"If you'd let me finish I was going to say I was sick of seeing the look of sadness on mom and grams when they saw how I was treated. Contrary to your belief, shit like that does get to some of us!" Bruce was taken aback by his son's outburst, he'd never seen him react like this.

"Why didn't you come to talk to me about this son?" Bruce asked after a few minutes of silence.

"You don't have mom's blood, only I could do this. I had to prove I was worthy of being Princess Diana's child." Alfred wore a frown as he finished closing CJ's wound and applied a pressure bandage to it.

"That's the worst excuse I've ever heard."

"I don't except you to understand me dad, hell, I don't even want forgiveness for it, I just ask that you bring Martha and Lyta to Themyscira in a week. It'll be clear then." Bruce looked to Diana for clarification of his son's words.

"We're going back. Hera wants his family there, but, ceremony dictates that we go back for the remaining time between his announcement." Bruce turned after his son to say something, but, he was already gone.

"Diana, it is time." Hera stood where CJ had been a few moments ago.

"I'll see you soon." Diana kissed her husband before taking Hera's hand and vanishing.

Hippolyta felt shame as she looked into her daughter's chambers. Diana was sleeping peacefully on her bed, but, her attention was on her grandson. CJ slept on a simple cot near the head of Diana's bed. In the soft moonlight she could see the metal closing the horrid injury he'd sustained in a feat he shouldn't have had to perform.

'You will know his reasons when he makes his announcement young Queen. Your grandson will prove himself right in his choice.' Hera's words were a cold comfort as she felt she'd once again failed her family. As a queen she felt pride in her grandson's accomplishments & thought her example would be followed by her sisters. That she didn't acknowledge the continued harsh treatment he'd received from them was a dagger of pain and shame in her heart.

"Fear not grams," CJ whispered to her in the Amazonian tongue "I don't blame you."

The ghost of a smile was on her lips as she turned away, lest her tears escape & betray weakness.

The day had finally come and Diana looked at her son garbed in a Doric chiton with rich silver embroidery. She cringed inwardly that his right shoulder blade was visible, along with the scar he now had.

"I know you're there mother." he turned and smiled at her.

"Not too bad," he commented, looking at the scar in the mirror "guess I should be glad it was a clean cut." The look on Diana's face made all thoughts of joking disappear.

"Mom, this isn't something you should be ashamed of."

"I hurt my own son, how can I take pride in that."

"I do." she was stunned by the seriousness of his tone.

"I've long held the respect of the strongest of the Amazons. Only she was able to even touch me in combat." He strode purposefully towards her.

"This is a badge of honor mitera, this is my Aegis." his voice was strong as he embraced his mother. As her hand fell on the now staple free scar, a product of his fast healing ability, she spoke up.

"Just don't expect me to be happy about it." His laugh brought a much needed smile to her lips. As he heard Hera announcing that he would be naming his spoils he walked out along side his mother to face the gathered crowd.

"By your victory in combat & your prowess at taking the island without killing a single enemy, you have proven yourself a supreme warrior Eklektos. By your right as the victor you may now claim your spoils!" He waited a moment before he spoke out in a clear & loud voice.

"The Amazons of Themyscira will, one by one, kneel in apology for their past transgressions to the one they have wronged for so long." As he spoke many of the Amazons glanced at their sisters, thinking they knew what was coming.

"I would hope your words of apology to Princess Diana are far kinder than any words offered to me." He spun on his heel and walked back into the Royal Palace. As he passed his father Bruce nodded to his son, a smile filled with pride on his face. The stunned silence of the Amazons followed his soft footfalls through the hallways.


End file.
